DROWNING FATALITY AT TONGAPORUTU.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 10601, 29 April 1896, Page 2

DROWNING FATALITY AT TONGAPORUTU.

TWO MEN DROWNED. | (TELEGRAPHED BY OCR CORRESPONDENT.) Waitara, April 29.— Another drowning accident happened at Tongaporutu last night, two settlers named Timothy Cosgrove and Robert Saunders being the victims. Both were single men. FURTHER PARTICULARS. Further particulars to hand show that the two drownad men and other settlers were on Monday night on the south side of the Tongaporutu river attending a School Committee election, and that about 8.30 p.m. Frederick Ebb, T. Hurlihy, T. Cosgrove, and R. Saunders left in v canoe to reach the north side of tho river, where their horaea were located. When a few yards from the bank the occupants of the canoe found that tho waves and fresh water meeting caused a rough jobble. Saunders suggested that thoy should keep the bowa of the caaoe to meet the increasing waves and steered accordingly until the north side was reached, when the canoe was steered to tho north, when a wave struck the canoe, swamping and sinking her. The men when thrown in the water struck out for tho north side, but when ■ftithuia few yards of the bauk Saunders Bonk twice and then disappeared, and Oosgrovo also sank, and was not seen ngain. Hurliby and Ebb succeeded in gaining the beach. While the above accidont was taking place, another canoo occupied by A. Waters, M. O'Holloran, T. Rollinson, W. H. Groves, and W. O Sullivan was swamped. Waters, Groves, O'Snllivan, and Rollinson held on to tho canoo ; O'Hallorau held on to O'Sullivan. Hallor.tu was then taken into another canoe by two brothers named F. aud D. O'Sullivan. On getting away a few chains this canoo also upset, but the occupants managed to get ashore. The second canoo, to which "W. O'Sullivan, Waters, Groves, and Bollinsou were clinging, drifted down the river, and was washed ashore with tho men holding to it. It was high water when they tried to cross, and the river was in flood. Search was made on Tuesday for the bodies of tho two drowned men, Saundera and Coagrove, but without result. Coagrovo has a brother at Woodville, and it is understood that Saunders is known at Tariki Road. Constable McAnerin, of Mokau, when apprised of the sad occurrence, at once went down to Tongaporutu. Our correspondent, writing on Tuesday, says that all the aettlers on the river and arouud the district are searching for the bedies. The accident happened opposite tho old wharf on the nonh Hide. Groves was in tho water for fully half an hour, and if it had not beau for the timely assistance rendered by the brothers O'Sullivan to Groves, and Elbs' assistance to Herlihy, two more lives would have been lost. Cosgrove, who was a single man, our correspondent thinks, bos a grandmother, Mrs Moore, in Now Plymouth. Saunders was a widower. Our Urenui correspondent has also forwarded us particulars of the sad occurrence.